People who have visited or live in Esperance have been warned they may be at risk of contracting measles after a person was confirmed this month to have the illness.

Esperance residents and visitors should remain vigilant for the onset of measles symptoms for the 18 days if they attended Condingup Community Centre on the evening of August 23 and Esperance Football Ground or Esperance Hockey Club on the morning of August 24.

A measles warning has been issued for Esperance. Credit:Shutterstock

Children and adults who have been inadvertently exposed are at risk of developing measles if they are not already immune.

WA Country Health Service’s Dr Charles Douglas said measles was a serious and highly contagious viral illness that spread when infected people coughed and sneezed.

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“Being in the same room around the same time as someone with measles can result in infection in people who are not immune,” Dr Douglas said.

“People with measles typically develop symptoms approximately 10 to 18 days after exposure.

“Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and sore eyes, followed by a red blotchy rash three or four days later.

“The rash usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.”

Dr Douglas said complications following measles could be serious and included ear infections and pneumonia in about 10 per cent of cases.

“Around one in every five people will require hospital admission and about one person in every 1,000 will develop encephalitis – inflammation of the brain,” he said.

Anyone who thinks they may have measles should call ahead to a clinic or emergency department so that they can be isolated from infecting other patients and staff when they arrive.

People who are concerned they may have measles and require medical advice after hours can contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.